MELANZANE ALLE PARMIGIANA (EGGPLANT PARMESAN)

A Sure Thing
Saveur, No. 65, P. 33.
Walk into any pizzeria or southern Italian restaurant in America, and one thing you're sure to find is "eggplant parmigiana," or eggplant parmesan. This casserole - a succulent combination of fried eggplant slices, fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, basis, and parmesan chees - was likely created in Naples, in Campania, the region where mozzarella was invented and a place where tomatoes and eggplant are ubiquitous. It was introduced into the United States in teh late 19th century or the early 20th by southern Italian immigrants. Other regions of Italy sometimes claim teh dish, and indeed its Italian name, melanzane alla parmigiana, sounds as if it meant eggplant cooked in teh style of Parma - the gastronomical capital of Emilia-Romagna.
"Parmigiana", though, refers not to Parma at all but to the presence in the dish of one of teh city's most famous products, its eponymous cheese.

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Preparation

1. Cut eggplants lengthwise into slices about .5" thick. Place slices in a colander set over a bowl, salt generously on both sides, and set aside to drain for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp. of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until golden, 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice from the can and season to taste with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon and stirring often, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Chop 3-4 of the basil leaves, add to sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes more. Set sauce aside.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush excess salt off eggplant, pat each slice dry with paper towels, and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry eggplan, turning once, until golden and soft, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer eggplant with a slotted metal spatula to a wire rack to drain. Season to taste with pepper.
4. Spread a large spoonful of sauce over bottom of each of two 8" baking dishes. Cover sauce with a layer of eggplant slices, scatter some of the mozzarella over eggplant, then spread another large spoonful of sauce over eggplant and mozzarella. Repeat layers with the remaining eggplant slices, mozzarella, and sauce, ending with a layer of sauce. Scatter half the remaining basil leaves over each dish and sprinkle each dish with half the parmigiano. Bake until sauce is bubbling hot and cheese is melted and golden on top, 25-30 minutes.